OYL Aquaman
by David Golightly
Summary: One Year Later, where is the king of the sea? With all the recent Crisis has changed in the world, the underwater world is no different. Horrible creatures known as the Seven Nightmares of the Deep are about to be unleashed and only Orin can stop them!
1. Chapter 1

_THUNK!_

The curiosity of the denizens of the Deep is a rare trait. The aquatic life that resides in that isolated section of the world know better than to poke at things better left undisturbed.

The Deep, so named for the depth at which the area resides, rests far away from the safe borders of Sub Diego. Once a flourishing farm tract, the Deep is now nothing but dead seaweed and rough terrain. A sharp dive over the chasm in the center of the Deep might yield interesting discoveries for the curious, but very few would ever dare that feat.

If someone, or something, would be unfortunate enough to actually slip over the chasm they would run the risk of disturbing the rusted doors that had been tightly sealed centuries ago. The powerful magicks that had shut the thick doors and wrapped them in chains were put in place for a specific purpose. The dark shadows behind the doors were never meant to be free again.

_THUNK!_

Even though the doors kept the creatures restrained, the pure evil intent seeped out uncontrollably, making the once prosperous land of the Deep now unable to support life. It was as if a cold wraith had swept over the ocean floor, sapping the essence of life away.

The magicks were not only meant to keep the doors sealed, but also cast the inhabitants into a quiet slumber. Should the creatures ever awaken, it could spell doom for all living things beneath the surface of the sea.

However, with the recent activity on the surface world, and the rampant and chaotic energy being shuffled around on a cosmic scale, the very threads of all magic had begun to unravel. Spells long assumed too powerful to ever diminish had been shaken and stripped of their potency.

_THUNK!_

The horrid Nightmares of the Deep were now awake.

~~A~~

DC Infinity Proudly Presents:

**AQUAMAN: The Deep**

Issue #1 of 3

~~A~~

"To arms!"

A horn blared, cutting through the crystal clear waters just across the border of Sub Diego, alerting the cavalry unit that protected the city of the oncoming attack. An entire platoon of the Waterhorse Guard arose in formation behind their leader, all mounted atop the huge, armored seahorses that they unit had been named for. Spears were readied and with a wave of his arm, their leader thrust them into combat.

Aquaman, king of a fallen city and leader of the remnants of an entire nation, led the charge atop his own mount. Green mail covered his legs but his chest was bare. His blonde hair flowed behind him as he raced into the fight, eager to stave off the horde that threatened his people. In one hand he tightly gripped a spear, and the other, a magical construct of solid water, was a weapon unto itself.

"Ready yourselves," Aquaman cried, sure that the Waterhorse Guard behind him would hear his commands. He had chosen each of them and taken part in their training. They were honorable and true warriors that would defend Sub Diego with their lives.

Over fifty figures dressed in black rushed them. They bore harpoons and tasers supplied by one man, a man that had given Aquaman too much grief over the years. His own forces, while diminishing, were still a thorn in Aquaman's side. They called themselves the Manta Raiders.

The first assault was launched now that the Waterhorse Guard was close enough. Taser lines flashed by him, some finding their marks in the troops. Electrical bursts shocked the targets into submission. Several of his troops fell off their mounts, but with luck this battle would be over quickly.

Aquaman commanded his mount to dive and to spring up under the collected Manta Raiders. His spear slashed through their ranks, dividing them up the middle. The Guard swarmed around them from the left and right, packing them in tightly. The primary goal was to confine the Raiders' movements, but the secondary goal was to serve as a distraction.

"Keep to the plan!" Aquaman shouted to the Guard as he swatted the end of his spear down onto a Raider.

The Black Manta had gathered whatever people he could to make these runs on Sub Diego. Aquaman was unsure of the reasoning, save the fact that it would wound Aquaman. The feud between them had been ongoing for years. The Raiders had only started coming within the last few months, now and again making an assault on the border.

Wherever the Black Manta was recruiting these Raiders from, they were usually unskilled in water warfare. That was not to say that they weren't dangerous; the Raiders had cut off several trade lines with the surface world and were showing no signs of backing down, regardless of how many times Aquaman thwarted them.

One of the random Manta Raiders flanked Aquaman, stabbing a sharp spear at his side. The former king barely managed to slip off his mount in time to avoid being impaled. He smacked his own spear into the arm of the Raider, forcing him to drop his weapon. With speed and accuracy, Aquaman clasped the hoses extending from the back of the air tank on the Manta Raider's back, ripping them out. Air bubbles fizzled out, filling the hoses and the tank up with salt water.

The Raider kicked away from Aquaman in horrifying shock and began to ascend back to the surface. No matter the number of Raiders the Black Manta sent, they would never devote their lives to his cause. Not like the Waterhorse Guard that Aquaman had assembled.

The Guard was rallying together and keeping the Manta Raiders from getting any closer to the city, but they weren't having much luck in actually dispersing them. However, the plan had never been a full frontal attack. Their second goal was only to hold up the Raiders long enough for Aquaman's real strategy to take effect.

During the charge he had been concentrating on a mental connection he had with all sea life. In days gone by he had been able to gently nudge sea life into doing his bidding, but for reasons he didn't understand, he found it increasingly difficult to persuade them. It had taken a distraction from the Waterhorse Guard to provide enough time for him to motivate his other underwater allies into aiding them.

A pair of lumbering sperm whales crested the horizon and headed straight for the collected Manta Raiders. Their mammoth bodies slammed into the black-garbed mercenaries, knocking the fight out of them. The two whales plowed through the enemy and then circled around, preparing for a second run, but the Raiders had already begun to retreat.

Aquaman watched the last of the Raiders ascend and smiled. The Waterhorse Guard cheered at the victory, clanging their spears together in exultation. Aquaman mentally sent a silent thanks to the aiding whales, conveying his appreciation of their help.

The Guard rallied and prepared to head back to Sub Diego. Aquaman took one final look at the outlying border of his domain, remembering a different time and a different city. His mount returned to him, and with a small nudge from his heel, swept him off to rejoin the Guard.

~~A~~

"Unacceptable!"

Aquaman slashed his hand through the air to accentuate the passion behind his statement. In his private quarters, back in Sub Diego, the once-king stood irritated at his relatively new young apprentice. Lorena, dubbed Aquagirl given her recent aid in several episodes of antagonism, matched his stare with her hands on her hips.

"And what's unacceptable about it?" she replied. "It only stands to reason that the people of Sub Diego would want to open larger channels with the surface world."

"But building an entire new city to do so? Insanity."

"Orin," Lorena said. "Sub Diego is barely able to support the population now. With a new influx of lost Atlantis survivors, the fragile economy down here could buckle completely. You can't halt the progress of a nation because you're stubborn."

"Are you really so naive to think that an olive branch will simply be extended from the surface?"

"It already has. Progene placed a stake in the development of New Atlantis."

Shocked into silence, Aquaman did nothing to hide the frustration on his face. Progene was a surface corporation that had a history with Sub Diego and its place at the bottom of the sea. Its dealings with the Black Manta were enough to make Aquaman sick.

"My people--" Orin began.

"_Your _people?" Aquagirl said. "Orin, you aren't a king anymore. Sub Diego can decide for itself what is best."

"I didn't see the people complaining this morning after I circumvented the Manta Raiders."

"That doesn't mean you get to decide policy." Lorena finally removed her hands from her hips and shook her head. "Look, Orin. I'm sorry. Ever since the accident that created Sub Diego in the first place, I just don't think life will ever go back to normal."

"Was it an accident?"

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean it's complicated. I don't mean to lecture. Lord knows I owe you so much already. But I think you should understand that the people look up to you, not necessarily as a king, but as a leader. We need your support on this."

"We?"

"Yes. I'm on the survey team in charge of scouting locations for New Atlantis. It's sort of a reward for all the good I've, I mean, all the good _we've_ done."

"I see."

Loud voices came through the door from the hallway. The door swished open and a pair of Aquaman's Waterhorse Guards swam into the room with urgent looks on their faces. They planted themselves in front of Aquaman, bending down into a kneeling position. Orin shot Lorena a look, as if stating that the conversation was far from over, before quickly ushering the Guards to rise.

"Sir, reports have just come in," the first Guard said. "Our scouts say that Manta Raiders were spotted placing explosive charges a few leagues outside the perimeter or Sub Diego."

"Alert the rest of the Guard," Aquaman stated. "Place the city on emergency status."

"More Raiders?" Aquagirl said.

"The first strike may have been to keep us from seeing what they were up to," Orin replied. "Tell your council friends not to worry."

Aquaman rushed off, swimming behind the two Waterhorse Guards and leaving Lorena alone in the room. She hated his stern resignation at times, but had to admit that he was the sole person alive that could ensure the safety of Sub Diego.

~~A~~

The vast sea was easy to get lost in, unless you were a person that had spent the majority of your life living in it. Now wearing his blue and white uniform from years ago, a camouflage pattern meant to aid in subterfuge, Aquaman swam through the dark waters many leagues away from the borders of Sub Diego.

The Waterhorse Guard was sweeping the ocean floor, pausing only to disperse a collection of Manta Raiders if they came across them. So far, since the last communiqué, the Guard had disarmed thirteen bombs, each strategically placed to split open fault lines.

Aquaman had left the Guard behind to round up the fleeing Raiders while he traced the longest fault line to ensure that no more bombs had been left behind. It would only take a single explosion to rock the sea floor and throw Sub Diego into chaos.

The danger to his people motivated him, but it wasn't what remained stuck in his craw. What bothered him was the Black Manta's motives. It didn't make sense. Why would he send so many agents to do his dirty work, and effectively only attack him indirectly? Their feud had always been personal. It wasn't like him to play through third parties like this.

Aquaman had no way of discerning an answer. He had no idea where the Black Manta was and none of the Raiders were talking. None of this made sense to him. But for the moment, he had other concerns.

The fault line twisted and turned, barely visible to the ordinary eye. Orin had been born without ordinary eyes, however. A thin film covered his open eyes, enabling him to see through the water clearly. The fault line, while still difficult to see, was much more evident to him.

He understood the ocean. He knew how it was meant to be. He could tell when something was out of place, and the fault line, while a natural occurrence, was not supposed to be there. It went against the grain of the ocean floor.

For as long as he had been part of the Sub Diego culture, he had rarely glossed over this section of the ocean. The last Crisis had sent a rippling effect through world, changing certain things about the planet. While most of it looked familiar, not all of it looked as he remembered. Plus, it was safe to say that he had been fairly busy over the last year to properly take the territory into account.

The fault line reached toward a dark chasm. There was no evident life anywhere in sight, as if something had snuffed out the nutrients in the terrain.

Near the edge of the chasm he saw the fault line split open slightly.

_THUNK!_

Aquaman paused, stopping in mid stroke. The noise-had it come from the chasm?

"Orin!"

Lorena's voice shouted out him through the electronic earwig he had taken with him to remain in contact with Sub Diego. He had forgotten about it since it had been awhile since he had gotten a report from the Waterhorse Guard.

"What is it?" he replied. "What's wrong?"

"The Raiders," Lorena said. "They came back shortly after the Guard left! They've—dear, lord—they've overrun the city, Orin!"

"What happened?"

"There were more Raiders than I've ever seen before. Hundreds! They swept in and just started attacking. Orin…a lot of people have been hurt. Or worse."

Rage flared up inside Aquaman. A direct attack while he had been tricked into leaving the city. It was inhuman, and more an act of war than of the simple schemes that the Black Manta was more known for.

He spun around, ready to race off back to the city. Every second counted. No sooner had he turned, though, than a near silent chirp sounded behind him, near the edge of the chasm.

He glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the chirp and saw the smooth, black casing of one of the explosives he had been searching for. His eyes went wide with fear and then—

_KRA-BOOM!_

Large chunks of rock pelted him, pushing him away. The entire top of the cliff face split away from the floor and fell down into the chasm. Boulders the size of trucks slammed against something hard and metal at the bottom of the chasm.

Aquaman skidded off the ocean floor, scraping his back against the hard and jagged rocks. His ribs felt weak after the shockwave, and the shrapnel, had bowled over him. His body was attuned to the incredible pressures of the water, but even he could be hurt.

The fault line split open to nearly double its size, criss-crossing back toward him and splintering off. Several offshoots surrounded him, each dividing into wider sections by the moment. Sooner or later, the rippling effect would find its way back to Sub Diego.

But what caught his attention was the gut-wrenching noise of metal scraping against metal that was coming from the bottom of the chasm. It reminded him of two ocean liners colliding. The water carried the sound waves easily, making him clasp his ears shut.

Silence.

Aquaman picked himself up and floated cautiously toward the chasm. He surveyed the area and saw that the dead land looked mostly the same. There was no sea life, but if there had been, it surely would have dispersed from all the noise.

He peered over the chasm, curious as to what could have been down there that would have made such a noise. A softly glowing pair of eyes stared back up at him, startling the hero.

He jumped back just as the first of seven mighty creatures, all grotesque and powerful, both in size and strength, rocketed out of the chasm.

The horrid Nightmares of the Deep were now awake.

~~A~~

**NEXT ISSUE:** Sub Diego is overrun with Manta Raiders! The ocean floor has been shattered along fault lines! Seven huge monsters have been unleashed! Honestly, it doesn't look good. But maybe Aquaman can find some lost friends to help out.


	2. Chapter 2

_Darkness had been its home for so many years. The piercing light, as dull as it was at this depth, was still like a knife to the creature's single cornea._

_As it rose, now free of its prison, it felt the lesser pressure of the waves wash over its putrid, purple skin. It would be stronger here, faster and deadlier._

_The ancient warlocks of the Deep had imprisoned it, but surely they had died long ago. Its primitive mind was secured on one thing and one thing only: destruction. Mindless chaos. That was why it and its brethren had been born after all._

_They were the Nightmares of the Deep, created for the sole purpose of spreading their master's dark wish. Was their master still alive? Doubtful. The Nightmares cared not for long dead affections or loyalties anyway._

_All they wanted was to destroy._

_The large purple beast at the forefront of the pack, urged on by the six other creatures, rose to the top of the chasm. The lumbering metal doors they had been locked behind for centuries were finally open, the mystic chains broken and useless._

_It fluidly moved through the water, propelled by the thick tentacles of its lower body and guided by the lone, yellow eye at the center of its body. It was eager to be out of the chasm, out of the Deep._

_As it crested the chasm's edge, it bellowed a cry of primal exaltation. It gazed at the sparse lands that it barely remembered, now dead and crusted over years of ignorance and neglect. The creatures were born of evil, and even the powerful magicks that had been their jailer were not enough to halt their essence of evil from seeping into the land._

_The dead waste of the cold lands pleased it, and it yearned for more._

_At the edge of its vision it saw a speck move, somehow separate from the sea floor. It was barely visible, but the Nightmare focused on it quickly, seeing the small tinge of yellow atop it._

_The thing moved, and it moved quickly. Life! So, the lands weren't dead after all. This pleased the Nightmare, as it had not killed for many years. There was nothing that would please it more than to kill this speck that dared to come near it._

_It slashed one of its thick tentacles down, attempting to squish the speck. But it moved out of the way, darting back and forth in the water._

_Annoyed, the creature slammed down several more of its tentacles, managing to bash the speck into the ground. Surely, this living thing was dead, crushed by the Nightmare's power._

_It roared again and its six other brethren added their voices to its own. They dispersed, eager to find other life in the sea that would quickly be extinguished under their power._

~~A~~

DC Infinity Proudly Presents:

**AQUAMAN: The Deep**

Issue #2 of 3

~~A~~

Pain.

That was the only thing present in his mind. Deep, resonating, sharp pain. It was more than just physical pain. This agony had assaulted his mind as well, as he felt despair and torment overwhelm his thoughts and shove away anything else. He couldn't focus on anything but the pain.

Aquaman, the savior of so many, strong and resilient and a born leader, wept.

He had been surprised to see the huge, monstrous purple creature arise from the chasm. He had been so focused on the explosives planted along certain fault lines by the Manta Raiders, and the alarm raised back at Sub Diego as hundreds of those same Raiders swarmed the city, that he hadn't been prepared for the more direct attack.

Whatever that thing was, it was pure evil. There was no doubt of it. He had barely managed to escape its first tentacle, for as large as it was, it was also quick. He hadn't stood a chance against its full power.

As soon as it touched him he felt his will to live simply slip away. The same will that had driven him to lead an entire nation was sapped away within a mere second, leaving him dumbfounded and ashamed.

The creature departed, along with many others, dispatching him as no longer a threat. He was left to bare consciousness as he struggled to get his eyes open again.

"Orin," a familiar voice said to him.

He stirred. Was he dreaming? He was so far away from the populated areas of the ocean that he doubted that one of his Waterhorse Guard had found him.

"Orin," the voice said again, this time more sternly.

He managed to open one eye and saw a hand being offered to him. When he couldn't raise his own hand to take it, the person reached down and picked him up, pulling him out of the ground.

He hadn't realized that the force of the creature's strike had been powerful enough to lodge him into the ocean floor. The man, whoever he was, pealed him out and helped him to his feet again.

Aquaman was dizzy, but his vision was starting to return to him. He looked at the man who had pulled him out and smiled.

"Garth," he said.

"You okay?" the former Aqualad said. "They sent me out to find you. You look terrible, sir."

Garth, now calling himself Tempest, had come a long way since being the former sidekick of Aquaman. He was now only an inch shorter than Aquaman, with thick, shaved black hair and a tattoo over half his face. His red and black costume wasn't too different from the blue and white one that Aquaman now wore, although Garth made it look more fashionable than useful.

"Who sent you?" he replied.

"Lorena and the others who made it to safety."

Lorena. Sub Diego was still in trouble. The memory of the cry of his current apprentice just before the ocean floor had been rocked by explosions flashed into his thoughts.

"The Manta Raiders!" he exclaimed. "We have to—"

"Easy," Tempest said as he helped steady his former mentor. "Most everyone is safe. That's why I was sent to find you, because the danger is no longer immediate."

"No longer immediate? How long was I out?"

Tempest frowned. "Two days."

Aquaman's mind was reeling. The impact from the creature's tentacle had been harder than he thought. He didn't even remember drifting in and out of consciousness, although he must have. All he remembered was the sense of hopelessness and flagrant pain that came along with it.

"Where's Aquagirl?" Orin asked.

"She managed to get away from the Raiders with a small group of your Waterhorse Guard," Tempest explained. "They're hiding out along the Rose Reef."

"And the people of Sub Diego?"

"They've mostly been piled into prison camps within the city."

"The Raiders are _occupying_ Sub Diego?"

"It looked like a full military invasion to me."

None of this made sense. The Black Manta, as antagonizing as he was, rarely did anything on this scale. It almost smelled like a desperate move on his part.

Too much was happening at once, and he had been out of commission for too long to really do anything about it. "How did you find me?" Aquaman asked.

Tempest pointed to the large schism created by the obliteration of the fault line. "I knew the general direction you had headed and from there I just traced the fault line."

"That's it? Needle in a haystack, Garth."

Tempest seemed to frown again, only this time it was much more subtle. His expression was almost somber. "I _sensed_ something out here. Something old."

Aquaman shot a look at the chasm from which the monsters had sprung. Garth had been through a lot since his teenage days with the Teen Titans. His adventures, away from Orin, had taken him through other dimensions. He had come back, but changed. He now had mystical senses and powers that Aquaman couldn't hope to fully understand.

Whatever had come out of the chasm was what Tempest had felt. Having touched that dark evil for himself, Aquaman knew the kind of pull it might have had on Garth.

"What was it?" Garth asked. "What came out of there?"

"I don't know. But I think we need to find out before we do anything else."

~~A~~

"On my command, we move."

The captain of the Waterhorse Guard raised an eyebrow, looking cautiously at the young woman that had given the order to him. His armor, formed from the dense materials at the bottom of the sea, would protect him from most physical harm, but surely not the harm that was to come if he followed this girl into battle.

"On _your_ command?" he questioned. "My men are not expendable, _princess_."

Lorena looked back over her shoulder at the captain. She was hunched down behind a boulder on the outskirts of the city with a platoon of Waterhorse Guard behind her. They had managed to get away from the Manta Raiders and flee to the Rose Reef, but with Orin gone and Tempest out to find him, she had gotten tired of waiting.

Hundreds of Manta Raiders had swarmed over the city two days ago, decimating their defenses. Troops of the Raiders swam through the streets, marching the inhabitants off to cordoned areas. She didn't want to wait anymore.

"Our people are being corralled like animals, captain," she said. "And do not ever call me princess. If we're going to strike, we need to strike now."

"I'm just not sure the Guard is prepared to be led by someone so _inexperienced_."

"Orin trusts me. That should suffice you."

The captain was noticeably irritated, but he had to admit that Lorena had a point. Aquaman had proven himself countless times over the years, and had even personally formed the Waterhorse Guard. He had fought with the former king in battle and had seen firsthand his skill and decisive leadership. For some reason he had chosen this young girl as his ward, and that should have spoken volumes of trust to him.

Bowing his head slightly, the captain relinquished all objectivity, as did the rest of the Guard that were huddled around them.

Aquagirl nodded. She turned back to look at the city, wondering if perhaps it wasn't a better idea to hide amongst the safety of the coral in the Rose Reef.

_That's not what Orin would do_, she decided silently.

"We'll take the small platoon there first and then head straight for the throne room," she whispered. "The ship we saw arrive this morning docked there. It's the best place to find the ringleaders and kick their butts."

"Aye," the captain agreed.

Lorena waited cautiously, watching the small platoon of Manta Raiders occupying her city float casually along with the current. They were in a perfect position to flank them, provided the other platoon across the way would continue its patrol pattern.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the second platoon moved away, leaving the first one vulnerable. Lorena rose her hand, and when she was satisfied that the second platoon was sufficiently gone, she dropped her hand in a swift motion, signaling the Guard to move.

As fluid as the sea itself, the Waterhorse Guard swam along the ocean floor, making sure to use the surrounding structures for cover. They came from underneath, striking quickly and precisely. Their spears, made from the densest material under the sea, sliced through the Raiders' air supply canisters. Thick streams of bubbles erupted out from the tanks, causing all five of them to panic.

Two of the Guard struck them down into an alleyway before they could signal or call for help. The operation had taken less than a minute and once the water calmed around them there was nothing left in their wake to alert any passing Raiders.

Lorena approached the large, black ship that had thrust its way into the wall of the throne room. It was sleek, a specially designed watercraft that had to have cost millions to create. It could easily carry hundreds of passengers, but that didn't mater to Aquagirl at the moment. All she cared about was severing the airlock.

A slender tube, no taller than her, was extended out from the ship and into the wall of the building. It had punctured the masonry, creating an airtight seal with the inflated tubing around its end.

"We're going in, captain," she called over her shoulder as she ripped the tubing away and forced her way into the throne room.

The large hall, even though it was called the throne room, had a series of chairs around an oblique table. This was where the council met, and where they decided the fate of Sub Diego according to their policies. It had been dubbed the throne room mainly as a joke, since the proud designer had decided to incorporate impressive ornamentation all around the table. The name stuck.

In place of the stacks of paper on the table, which consisted of many contracts, orders, and declarations of the council, now sat a single prone body.

"Oh, my God," Lorena said as she burst into the room.

The Manta Raiders around the room swarmed her and the Waterhorse Guard, but not before she made out who was lying on the table.

The Black Manta himself, seemingly unconscious, with a life support system steadily chirping away beside him.

~~A~~

Their decent was slow. Aquaman's senses told him that dropping into the chasm was a horrible idea, but he needed to know what had been unleashed in front of him. Just touching one of those creatures was enough to make him shiver, and thinking about them brought the memory to the forefront of his mind, as fresh as if it had happened only a moment ago.

Tempest was with him, cast an eerie blue glow against the rugged walls. His magick, or whatever he called it, was condensed into a solid blue ball around his hand allowing them to see in the otherwise pitch dark. The light blended in with his suit well and he wondered why he rarely wore the blue and white dubs anymore.

"Doesn't that feel strange around your fingers like that?" Aquaman asked, never taking his eyes off the nothingness beneath them as they dropped.

"Asks the guy with a magical construct for a hand," Garth replied.

They dropped the rest of the way in silence, which took several minutes. This place reeked of evil and it noticeably disturbed both men as they descended. There were etchings on the walls, shone by Garth's light. Strange figures that neither had ever seen before.

By the time they reached the bottom Aquaman had lost track of time. He felt a great pressure push against him, not the pressure of the sea, but more of a force to keep away.

When their feet finally touched the bottom they separated. Aquaman to the left and Tempest to the right; their old way of operating, honed by years of working closely together, had come back without exception. Even in the dire situation that they faced, it was comforting to Orin to know that his former ally still respected him.

They were in a tunnel that sloped downward gradually. Tempest cast his blue light down the tunnel, until it hit another wall at the far end. Cautiously, they walked toward the wall.

"It's a chamber," Garth said.

Aquaman stopped. "More like a prison." He motioned to one side of the cavern. "Someone locked those beasts away down here."

Throwing his light to where Orin had pointed, Tempest saw what was left of a thick door that looked to be the exact height of the chamber. Huge chains, bound together with flawless welding, were slunk around the broken door.

"Those must weigh a ton," Garth said, astonished.

"Easily. Probably more. Whatever broke them was strong. Look here."

Aquaman bent down to touch the chains, and in doing so, he saw a glyph similar to the ones on the wall embedded in its metal. He reached out with his water hand and touched it.

As soon as he did it erupted in blinding light and images began pouring into his head.

An ancient mage, bent on ruling the ocean.

Unimaginable power being summoned by the mage to create the beasts, seven in all.

Plagues, destruction, death.

And then a band of other sorcerers, using the last of their power to bind both the mage and his creations.

"Orin!" Tempest called out. When he reached Aquaman and pulled him away from the chain and the glowing glyph, he saw that his former mentor's eyes had gone pearly white.

"We have to get back to the city!" Aquaman said as he pushed Tempest away. "If we don't, everyone will die!"

~~A~~

**NEXT ISSUE:** The Black Manta is on his death bed, but will Aquaman simply let him die? And how will he survive the oncoming attack from one of the Nightmares of the Deep? More secrets revealed in the conclusion to this epic miniseries!


	3. Chapter 3

"Arthur! Orin! Slow down!"

Tempest called after several more times, but to no avail. The former king and current trusted leader of Sub Diego was swimming nearly faster than the youthful hero could follow.

In all his time following Aquaman through the years, into battle and beyond victories, Garth had rarely seen such determination in his mentor's eyes. It was almost startling.

With a burst of speed enabled by catching a small current, Tempest managed to catch up to Aquaman. He silently thanked the oceans for allowing him the chance, since Orin was wearing his old blue and white costume that helped him blend into the ocean floor. If Aquaman had gotten too far ahead of him he might have actually lost him.

"Aquaman!" Tempest said. "We need to stop for a minute! Talk this out. Figure out what you saw back there."

Aquaman slowed but he kept his feet kicking. Tempest was able to keep up but the distraction of conversation was showing. "There's no time!" Aquaman said. "We need to be back at Sub Diego _now_."

"But why? What did you see when you touched that glyph?"

"I saw an ancient warlock weave spells to create those, those Nightmares," Aquaman explained. "And now they're loose. Seven of them. Horrible creatures that bring death to everything they touch. Literally."

"Okay," Tempest replied. "Then why aren't we going after them? Why are we headed back to the city, which is currently being occupied by Manta Raiders?"

"Because," Aquaman replied, "that's where I moved the Lady of the Lake. She's the only one that can defeat these Nightmares, or else Sub Diego, its people, and everything else under the ocean will be destroyed."

~~A~~

DC Infinity Proudly Presents:

**AQUAMAN: The Deep**

Issue #3 of 3

~~A~~

"Stay back!" a pair of black armored guards said simultaneously. They aimed their harpoons at the young girl who had just entered the throne room, and even though she couldn't see the look in their eyes, she knew that they meant to kill her if she did not comply.

Two of her own Waterhorse Guard slipped through the same way she had entered the throne room, coming to her side immediately. The large black ship that had stabbed into the main building that held Sub Diego's council chambers left an avenue of entrance that wasn't as well guarded as the main ones. Lorena, the newly dubbed Aquagirl, had slipped in while the rest of the Waterhorse Guard had provided a distraction.

She had prided herself on taking immediate action in most cases these days, especially while under the tutelage of the legendary Aquaman. Now she found herself dumbfounded by the last thing she expected to see in the throne room.

The original Black Manta, lying sprawled out like a hospital patient and being kept alive by machines.

"What's going on?" she demanded. "Why is he—"

"Where is Aquaman?" one of the Manta Raiders retorted. "Bring him here at once! We're under orders to begin destroying the city until he shows himself!"

Aquagirl threw up her hands. "Wait! Wait, he'll be here. Just tell me what's going on."

"Little girl," the guard said. "We're being paid a hell of a lot of money to make sure this guy doesn't kick the bucket, and he says that the only guy that can save his life is Aquaman. Since we all want the rest of our money, you better make sure he lives to see tomorrow. That means get Aquaman here. Now."

_Perfect_, Lorena thought. _Only problem is he's been missing for two days._

~~A~~

Near the outskirts of Sub Diego, amongst the crimson coverings of the Rose Reef, Aquaman and Tempest moved into position. The bristles of the reef made for perfect cover and provided an excellent vantage point for viewing the main buildings of Sub Diego.

"This was were I left Lorena before coming to look for you," Tempest said. "She looked pretty eager. The whole city is occupied, Orin. What are the chances that she—"

"She went in, all right," Aquaman said. "But I can't worry about that right now. She's tough, and you said that she had the remains of the Waterhorse Guard with her. She's a fighter. We have more important things to worry about right now."

Tempest motioned to a contingent of Manta Raiders floating within view of where they hid, passing through the streets of Sub Diego to round up any stray inhabitants that were breaking curfew.

"You call this less important than hunting down some weird Lady that I've only heard of in fairy tales?" Tempest said. "Arthur! C'mon."

"See this hand?" Orin said, holding up his water-construct. "The Lady of the Lake gave it to me. It's mystical in nature and a hell of a lot better than a cybernetic spear. The flashes I saw back in the cave, she can provide the answers I need. If we don't get them, we're all as good as dead."

"I still don't understand why she's the only one—"

"Because when I touched that glyph I," Aquaman paused, seeking the right words to describe the feeling that had engulfed him. "I felt something. Something very similar to when I first got this hand."

"But I thought you got it in Ireland," Tempest replied. "What is the Lady of the Lake doing in Sub Diego?"

"I relocated her." Aquaman looked at the passing Manta Raiders and tensed his muscles. "There's a blind spot in the patrol. Let's go."

The former king of the sea and his grown partner swiftly rocketed out into the ocean. Years of practice added to genetics gave them swift maneuverability beneath the sea. Superman, witnessing the absoluteness that Aquaman moved within underwater, had once compared his speed in the air to Aquaman's speed within the sea. It was like the pressures of the ocean and the currents moving around them were nonexistent.

Aquaman darted between buildings, carefully avoiding the prying eyes of the Manta Raiders. It killed him to see the mercenaries swarming over his city like an infestation of rats, but he had no choice. There was a greater evil at work here, and regardless of what the Black Manta was up to, he had to prioritize.

The strange thing was, that while he had developed an odd antagonism toward the Black Manta over the years, he had never known the villain to commit schemes on this scale before. The Black Manta, while a constant thorn in his side, had always been small potatoes. Something was different about this occupation.

The area Aquaman was headed toward finally came into view. A large fountain that had once been the center of a recreational park when above water had become null and void now that the city was beneath the sea. The sculpture of a dolphin sat in the park, useless, its mouth no longer needing to spray water.

Tempest flanked the fountain as Aquaman approached. It was a comfortable feeling, falling back into their old routines.

"Wait for me," Aquaman said as he slid the fountain back. With a push, flexing his pressure-reinforced body, Aquaman opened a secret chamber underneath the fountain. "I won't be long. Don't let the Manta Raiders know where I am. And if you hear anything from inside, don't worry. It's probably just the Lady getting mad at me."

"Why would she be mad at you? Didn't she choose you?"

"Remember when I said I had moved her here from Ireland?" Aquaman said. Tempest nodded. "It wasn't exactly her decision."

"Orin—"

Aquaman held up a hand. "Just keep watch and warn me if uninvited guests come."

The former king slipped beneath the statue, leaving his friend behind. The chamber was small, mainly because he didn't have a lot of time or privacy to construct it when he had decided to move the Lady of the Lake here. The short tunnel led to a small circular room with a bright blue pool in the center. The water held within the mystical pool was denser than the swirling waves around him, making it an ideal portal for the Lady to reside in.

He stood in front of the pool and took in a large gulp of water. He was nervous. He hadn't discussed anything with the Lady since relocating her. She wasn't going to be happy.

"Orin of Atlantis," the murky, yet feminine, voice spoke. "I was wondering when you would show yourself to me again."

"My Lady," Aquaman replied as he fell into a graceful bow.

"After the gift I bestowed upon you, you would treat me so? And now you return. For what? A favor, perhaps? The arrogance that resides in all royalty has certainly not been forgotten in your, Orin of Atlantis."

"My Lady, I have long struggled to keep people safe. There are more people desperately relying on my choices now as the survivors of Atlantis flood the streets of Sub Diego. I brought you here so that this city would become as great as Atlantis once was."

The Lady, gorgeous and foreboding, remained silent through Aquaman's pause. He couldn't read the expression pasted on her face.

"A great evil has just been unleashed," Aquaman continued. "And it came at the worst of times. My city is overrun with enemies. My people are held captive and are scattered. Seven terrors of awesome and immense—"

"The Seven Nightmares of the Deep," the Lady of the Lake said. "I can feel them."

"What are they?"

"Long ago, a powerful sorcerer that was the brother of one of the founding fathers of noble Atlantis, grew tired of the chastising he suffered under his brother's watch. His name was Mobius." The Lady closed her eyes, as if picturing the man from her own memory. "Mobius, fueled by rage, broke his spirit into eight separate pieces. He placed seven of them in the bodies of the demons you saw escape."

"But what about the eighth piece?"

"He retained that for his own life, so that he might control the Nightmares. But Mobius' brother and the rest of the founders overturned him and killed him. The destroyed him, leaving the Nightmares mindless. They used the last of their power to seal away the Nightmares for all time."

"Then why are they free now?"

"The recent Crisis that your universe underwent weakened the magical state of the defenses."

Aquaman understood. He hadn't engaged much in the events that had unfolded, but he had learned that many things about the universe as he knew it had changed. People had returned from the grave, others perished, and still more were changed. Elements of the past had been erased and pieces of the future that were once clear were now blurry.

It stood to reason that his portion of the world, the sea, the largest portion, had been affected as well.

"My Lady," Aquaman said, "despite your irritation with me, I beg you, please, tell me how to stop these monsters. My people are in great peril."

The Lady of the Lake looked him over with concern. "I chose you for specific reasons, Orin of Atlantis. Betrayal was not one of those reasons. I understand that you brought me here with good intensions, however, it cannot be overlooked that you sought to deceive me."

"My Lady—"

"Given the foolishness of your decisions, I will help you. Your hand, Orin of Atlantis."

Aquaman stood and offered his newly replaced hand, which the Lady had bestowed upon him, up to the beautiful woman. She took it in hers and waved a green energy over it.

"To kill the Nightmares you will need the blood of your enemy," she said. "Place this hand into the heart of the Nightmare and you will prevail."

The wave of euphoria created by the touch of the Lady vanished. Aquaman pulled his hand back and watched as she sunk back into the pool at his feet, confused by her words.

"When this conflict is at an end, Orin of Atlantis," the said as she drifted back into the water, "you will return to me. We have much to discuss."

Aquaman could easily understand that conversation was not going to be enjoyable. He had seen the power of the Lady of the Lake and was not ashamed to admit that it worried him. He knew that she was a force for good, but still felt guilty over what he had done to her.

He looked at his hand and pondered her words. He knew what he had to do.

~~A~~

"I am here," the Black Manta muttered, "because of a vision."

He was barely breathing, and what he was able to do sounded forced. Aquagirl knew that without the machines pumping his lungs for him he would die within seconds.

She had heard the stories, of course. This man, this villain, had defiled the seas for years in a misplaced rage against a single man. He had taken liberties, he had taken lives, and he had even bargained with a devil. Now his outside appearance matched his dark inner one, thanks to the meddling of a demon named Neron. His pale gray skin was coated over with a thin film yet he still wore the majority of his original Black Manta costume.

Apparently even villains were sometimes nostalgic. All of the mercenaries under the Black Manta's control wore similar uniforms, including the half dozen standing guard around them.

He had only muttered a few words to her so far, which made the Raiders nervous. The man was obviously dying, and like the one guard had said, if he died then they didn't get paid. An entire army of disgruntled and remorseful mercenaries would not benefit Sub Diego.

"What do you mean?" Aquagirl asked. "What vision?"

"Neron tricked me," the Black Manta rasped. "New body can't sustain me. Twisted as he is. Not fit for life. Saw a Lady. Said only the blood of my enemy could save me."

"So you came looking for Aquaman?"

The Black Manta managed a weak smile. "Only got one enemy."

The huge ship docked at the makeshift entrance to the throne room suddenly rocked back. The swathing sound of harpoons being fired came from the hole, followed by a sizzling blast of energy.

A stray blast of purple fire, amazingly lit beneath the waves, burst through the last seal attaching the anchored ship to the throne room. Once the entryway was clear, a man passed through, gently kicking his feet to propel him forward.

Tempest, energy charged in his fists and rage bursting in his eyes, touched down to the floor. A pair of Manta Raiders tried to flank him, but with two quick shots from his fists, he commanded the waters to spin in tiny, controlled tsunamis around them. They crashed into the walls and did not get back up.

"Hello, Lorena," he said. "Need a hand?"

"Wait," she began to say, but another loud thud stopped her.

Aquaman charged into the throne room the same way, only he didn't stop. Three of his Waterhorse Guard, apparently liberated from the Raiders, moved in behind him, ensuring they weren't followed.

"Manta!" Aquaman shouted as he approached the center of the throne room where Aquagirl stood. He saw the lower part of the Black Manta's body on the table behind her, but wasn't able to see the rest. "For years I've never had a use for you, but not this time. Finally, you'll be able to do some good."

"Orin, wait!" Aquagirl said, placing a hand on Aquaman's chest to make him stop.

"You've done well, Lorena. Stand aside so I can—"

He paused, seeing the breathing apparatus for the first time. He had never imagined that one of his most constant foes would ever be in a state like this. He had seen his fair share of people dying, but for some reason he had never seen such a thing as this. This was different.

Aquaman and the Black Manta may have been desperate enemies, but over the years they had become two halves to a whole. In a way, Aquaman was looking at a piece of himself lying on that table.

Somewhere far away, on the other side of the city, the earth shook.

Tempest darted back to the hole in the throne room and peered out. He looked back at Aquagirl, a look of worry on his face. "They're coming," he said.

"What?" she replied. "Who?"

"Death incarnate," Tempest said.

"What's happened to you?" Aquaman said, addressing the Black Manta.

"Neron," the villain replied. "Life in general. I came to you for help. The Lady said—"

"The Lady of the Lake? _She_ told you to come to me?" His head was spinning with mounds of intuition.

Another shockwave rippled through the city, this time originating from much closer. "Orin!" Tempest said.

Aquaman shot a quick glance over his shoulder at his former sidekick. He looked back at the prone form of the Black Manta. "You picked a good time for this," he said.

"Tried before. Progene. Offered help to get your attention. You ignored it."

Lorena's eyes widened. "They offered to fund the founding of New Atlantis," she said. "Oh, my God. I didn't realize. It was more than an olive branch."

Another shake of the ocean floor, this time rippling through the throne room.

"I need your help, too," Aquaman said. "The Lady said—"

"Our blood. I know."

Without bothering to hesitate, the Black Manta removed a knife from his side. He peeled back the film covering his body, which seemed to take with it some of his ability to breath. He pressed the blade into the palm of his hand and yanked down. Drops of red blood swirled into the salty water, streaming like tuffs of hair.

Aquaman nodded, taking the knife from his enemy. He mimicked the movements, only he sliced open his water hand. Surprisingly, the same red blood spilled out. The mysticism associated with the water construct was baffling. It was more connected to him that Orin realized.

The pair of enemies shook hands for the first time ever. Their blood touched and something happened. It was not apparent to the on looking Aquagirl or Tempest, but they felt the magical exchange.

Aquaman snapped to attention and the Black Manta arched his back, crying out in pain. Then, as quickly as the process had begun, it was over. The villain relaxed and Aquaman yanked his hand back.

He felt different. His hand, as unnatural a creation as it was, had changed.

The Black Manta sat up and ripped the thin film off of the rest of his body. He stood, pouncing off the table like a child. The smile on his face looked as wicked as the day Aquaman had first seen him.

"Feeling better?" Aquaman asked.

"Like I could take on even Lex Luthor. I appreciate what you've done here."

"Good." Aquaman swam to the wall where a display of Atlantean weapons were hung. He picked up a trident, studied its weight in his grip, and pushed off the floor again to swim for the hole in the wall. "You can pay me back right now. Let's go!"

~~A~~

Manta Raiders and Waterhorse Guard alike swam for their lives. Citizens of Sub Diego, that had been under the careful watch of the Black Manta's forces, now scattered everywhere. Another earthshaking shock swept over the area, this time laying to waste an entire building.

The cause of the rampant destruction lurked a few hundred feet above the people's heads. A black creature lurched through the waters unchallenged. It stood taller than the highest building in Sub Diego and was twice as foreboding.

It compared to a lumbering squid. Its large and thick tentacles slammed into the ocean floor, sending another shockwave through the valley. Its putrid green eyes surveyed the scene, jetting back and forth.

It released a curdling scream that stymied several of the aloof Raiders and Waterhorse Guard. Fatter around its torso, this Nightmare's body was round like an urchin with the spikes to match. Its small mouth at the center of its mass opened again and bellowed, shattering the windows of several buildings.

One of the seven Nightmares of the Deep had come to Sub Diego, and its path of death behind it was barren and black.

"Surround it!" Aquaman ordered. The Manta Raiders and Waterhorse Guard both obeyed, the former party only wishing to live to see the next day at this point. "Occupy it while we attack from underneath!"

"Just lead the way!" Tempest said as he fell into a faithful position beside Aquaman. Aquagirl flanked the former king on the other side, adding her sentiments.

"Never thought I'd say this," the Black Manta said as he came up behind Aquaman, "but I'm with you all the way."

Aquaman nodded and returned his gaze to the beast, the grotesque and twisted squid. He motioned with the arm holding the trident and launched himself forward. The others followed him like the king that he was.

The four of them rushed by the swarming Manta Raiders and a cluster of more organized Waterhorse Guard. Some of them had regained their mounts, but the majority were now fighting on primitive instinct, moving about the waters as they were able.

The Nightmare spotted them and slashed down with a tentacle at amazing speed. Aquaman managed to evade while Tempest, the closest to one side of their pack, charged a purple shield and deflected it.

"Ah!" he screamed. Sizzling filaments of broken energy flaked away from his hand.

"Garth!" Aquagirl said, rushing to his side. "Are you—"

"Fine," he said. "It was just like, like touching death. I'll be okay."

"Fight or be bait," the Black Manta said as he maneuvered around them. "Don't get in the way if you want to just be chum."

A flash of rage passed over Tempest, but he ignored it, seeking to focus on the task at hand instead. He was amazed that Orin had allowed the Black Manta to come, but bringing the villain also meant bringing his mercenaries, which at the very least, could provide a distraction.

Several more dark tentacles came bearing down on them as they rose to meet the creature. Aquaman stabbed one with his trident, embedding the points into the black flesh of the Nightmare. It squealed but didn't bother to pause in continuing its attack.

Aquaman wrestled with the beast through his trident, intent on either retrieving the weapon or shoving it further in to cause more damage. Black ichor, possibly the life blood of the Nightmare, seeped out into the sea.

It washed over Aquaman, deadening his senses. It seemed every part of the beast was horrific and carried only death. Things began to grow dark and Aquaman suddenly became very tired.

Light blazed back into this his eyes as he felt a sharp pain at his back. Something shoved him away from the tentacle, nudging him back from certain death.

"Of all the times I've tried to kill you," the Black Manta gasped, "there is no way I'm letting a fish do it."

Aquaman gasped in water as his strength ebbed back. He watched as an archenemy battled away the very thing that nearly ended his life. He felt certain that things, however bizarre and macabre they may be, were definitely changing. This was not the realm he had known as his home for so long anymore.

"What are you waiting for?" the Black Manta said as he ducked under a swipe of another tentacle. "Kill this thing off once and for all!"

A spike from the center mass of the Nightmare broke free and rocketed toward the Black Manta. He was too busy fighting and dodging to notice the rushing spear cut through the water like it was nothing.

Just before the tip buried itself in his back, a thin and wiry hand reached out of shoved it off course. The spike trailed down into the ocean, embedding itself in the ground.

The Black Manta looked over his shoulder to see Aquagirl there, gasping. "What?" she said. "Oh, so you think that because _you_ do it that a real hero can't?" She turned to face Aquaman. "Orin. Go. We've got this."

Aquaman launched himself at the Nightmare, using the feeling of utter despair he felt at the creatures hands to drive him. The sensation of life abandoning him was what spurned him, as he never wanted that to be felt by someone under his protection. That included the residents of Sub Diego, the Waterhorse Guard, Lorena, Garth, and now even the Black Manta.

Fat appendages slapped the swirling water around him, seeking to drive him into the ground with enough force to shatter his dense skeleton. The Nightmare let loose another piercing screech from its small beak, but Aquaman paid it no mind. He was too determined.

He cocked back his arm and tossed the trident. His body was strong enough to resist the pressures of the ocean, which allowed him to throw his trident with enough power to shatter solid stone.

His aim was honed and his mark was targeted. The trident stabbed into the beak of the Nightmare, sending a shudder of pain throughout the massive beast.

Aquaman took advantage of its disorientation and swam closer to its torso. He wondered if it had ever felt pain before.

He flexed the non-fingers of his water hand, approached speedily, but cautiously, and chose his moment.

The Nightmare of the Deep was thrashing wildly from the trident lodged in its jagged mouth. Aquaman rolled over top of a wild tentacle as he swam closer, making sure not to brush against the creature. When he came within feet of the torso, he pictured the Lady of the Lake, and punched his mystical hand directly into the Nightmare.

Black ooze splashed over him, but this time the horrid feelings melted off of him. He saw the tinge of red swirl within his water hand and realized that it was the blood of his enemy, the blood of the Black Manta. There was powerful magic at work, magic put in place by the Lady herself.

Shoving his hand deeper into the Nightmare, doing his best not to be bucked off by the sharp death-throws, Aquaman felt inside for the one thing he needed to crush. His fingers finally found it, and grasping it tightly, he flexed once more, squishing the Nightmare's dark heart.

The Nightmare buckled one last time, screeching its death-cry. The noise nearly deafened him and a wild slap of a tentacle dislodged him from the torso. He spun back and away from the beast, only to be caught by Tempest.

The Nightmare's entire body throbbed and pulsated, expanding with each dying heartbeat until it grew too large for its body to support. The Nightmare of the Deep, death incarnate, burst from the inside out, spraying Sub Diego with its black ichor.

The ooze dissolved before touching anything, however, leaving behind no trace of the horrible monster from whence it came.

Aquaman, held aloft by Tempest's strong arms, looked over his shoulder at the younger hero. "That's one," Aquaman said before promptly passing out.

~~A~~

A full day's rest later, Aquaman floated high over Sub Diego, watching as Lorena swam up to meet him. "Are they all gone?" he asked.

"The last ship is leaving now," she replied, a slight look of irritation on her face. "The Manta Raiders are vacating Sub Diego."

"And the Black Manta?"

"He left this morning, before you awoke." She floated beside him for a moment, watching silently over the city she now helped protect. "He saved your life," she finally said.

"He felt that he owed it to me."

"You going after him? For the crimes he committed in the past?"

Aquaman shook his head. "He's got a clean slate as far as I'm concerned. You might say we connected. It doesn't excuse him for everything he's done, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Time will tell if he's really changed."

"And the other six Nightmares?"

"That's the big question now, isn't it? One was hard enough. Six more representations scattered throughout the vast seas, all of them powerful enough to wipe out life with a single touch. If this whole episode has proven anything, it's that the ocean is a different place than it used to be."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we're safe for now, but I'm going to need some serious help." He smiled and faced her for the first time, looking her directly in the eyes. "You up to it, short stuff?"

~~A~~

**The End?**


End file.
